Brazil have achieved a lot since José Roberto Guimarães took over as coach in 2003. In his first year they won gold at the South American Championship and silver at the World Cup. The following season they won the FIVB World Grand Prix and finished fourth at the Olympic Games before picking up another Grand Prix title as well as the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in 2005.

In 2007 Brazil hosted the Pan American Games, in Rio de Janeiro, winning all their matches in straight sets en route to a gold medal match against Cuba. The hosts were eventually beaten in five sets and had to settle for silver while in the World Grand Prix that same year, without setter Fofão and middle-blocker Walewska, the most experienced players in their squad, Brazil finished in fifth place.

However, by winning the South American Championship in Santiago, Chile, Brazil earned the right to play at the 2007 FIVB World Cup in Nagoya, Japan. In that competition they finished second, their best result ever at the tournament. The year 2008 was an exceptional one for Brazil as they won their first Olympic gold medal in Beijing and also finished first at the FIVB World Grand Prix.

In 2009 the Brazilians won six straight gold medals, starting with the Montreux Volley Masters in June, the Pan-American Cup, the FIVB World Championship 2010 Qualification Round, the Final Four, the FIVB World Grand Prix and the South American Championship.

The last 12 months haven’t quite had the same gold tinge having collected silver behind Italy at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup at the end of last year while also finishing second behind USA at this year’s FIVB World Grand Prix.

José Roberto Guimarães became a coach in 1988 and was assistant coach of the Brazilian men’s side and the youth and junior sides in 1991. In 1992 he helped coach Brazil’s men’s team to gold at the Barcelona Olympic Games. He also led them to gold in the 1993 FIVB World League as well as countless podium finishes until 1996.

He returned to coach the Brazilian women’s team in 2003 and claimed silver at the FIVB World Cup. Since then he has led them to countless gold medals including the 2008 Olympic Games.